Rugby isn’t for everyone, but if you love the rough and tumble of the sport then you’re resigned to suffering the odd injury.

It’s all well and good breaking a bone or pulling a hammy, but when it comes to head injuries no parent wants to mess around.

That’s why scrum caps and other forms of headgear are so popular, although a new study published on The Conversation might send a few shudders down the spine.

Let’s dive in head first:

…as our recent research shows, wearing protective headgear may actually result in an increased risk of injury. This means that at the youth level, parents may insist on their child wearing headgear in the belief they are helping to reduce the injury risk, when in fact the opposite could be true.

The study was published in BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine, and although research has previously shown that headgear isn’t always effective in preventing concussion in minors, this latest study goes deeper.

…our new research…found that some rugby players seem to wear protective headgear to give them the confidence not to worry about getting injured. And that as a result, players may display reckless tackling behaviours that may increase the risk of serious injuries such as concussions.

Not ideal, but here’s the good news: The research doesn’t say all parents should yank their children from rugga at once, but rather stresses the importance of teaching correct tackle techniques to players of all ages.

Here’s a picture of Heinrich Brüssow wearing a scrum cap, only because I think we mismanaged his career and he could have become a Bok legend.

Moving on.

New Zealand has the RugbySmart scheme teaching correct tackle techniques, and here at home we have BokSmart doing the same, and both have shown great success:

The two schemes share similar programme structures and aim to educate coaches and referees in an attempt to prevent serious injuries to players. The Boksmart intervention, for example, resulted in a 40% reduction in catastrophic injuries in a group of junior players.

Correct head placement, using the shoulder, and driving the legs in contact have all been found to be technique factors associated with a reduced risk of a concussive tackle. Which is why initiatives aimed at coaches, teachers and referees should focus on ensuring safe tackling behaviours are adopted and retained by youth players.

A note to all parents screaming from the sidelines – maybe focus less on telling everyone to pass the ball to your youngster, and more on ensuring their team’s coach is teaching the kids know how to tackle correctly.

To finish:

…research has actually found that junior players value tackle training and the time spent on techniques to help reduce injury. This is encouraging because children who are taught correct technique from a young age are more likely to retain safe tackle behaviours if they continue to play rugby. And this of course helps to reduce injury rates, and makes the sport safer at all levels of the game.

We all love seeing a big hit (like Ozzie Bernard Foley taking a hammering), but we should also make room for encouraging those who display decent technique in the tackle.

[source:theconversation]